diff --git a/.github/workflows/container-build-test.yml b/.github/workflows/container-build-test.yml
index e32335356..1c4c95d14 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/container-build-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/container-build-test.yml
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Execute build
         if: steps.should-build.outputs.build == 'true'
         uses: ./.github/actions/build-container
+        env:
+          # Disable registry cache for pull requests to avoid permission issues
+          DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' && 'true' || 'false' }}
         with:
           safe_ref_name: ${{ needs.prepare-environment.outputs.safe_ref_name }}
           nvcr_container_repo: ${{ needs.prepare-environment.outputs.nvcr_container_repo }}
diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index 5f77c8223..aab69f103 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ SAFE_REF_NAME := $(if $(SAFE_REF_NAME),$(SAFE_REF_NAME),local)
 BUILDX_BUILDER ?= nvsentinel-builder
 PLATFORMS ?= linux/arm64,linux/amd64
 
+# Cache configuration (can be disabled via environment variables)
+DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE ?= false
+CACHE_FROM_ARG := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME))
+CACHE_TO_ARG := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME),mode=max)
+
 # Auto-detect current module name from directory
 MODULE_NAME := $(shell basename $(CURDIR))
 
@@ -170,11 +175,12 @@ setup-buildx:
 # Standardized Docker build (always from repo root for consistency)
 docker-build: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building Docker image for $(MODULE_NAME) (local development)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	cd $(REPO_ROOT) && docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME) \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME),mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG) \
 		$(DOCKER_EXTRA_ARGS) \
 		--load \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-$(MODULE_NAME):$(SAFE_REF_NAME) \
@@ -196,11 +202,12 @@ docker-build-local: setup-buildx
 # Standardized Docker publish
 docker-publish: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building and publishing Docker image for $(MODULE_NAME) (production)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	cd $(REPO_ROOT) && docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME) \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME),mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG) \
 		$(DOCKER_EXTRA_ARGS) \
 		--push \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-$(MODULE_NAME):$(SAFE_REF_NAME) \
diff --git a/health-monitors/gpu-health-monitor/Makefile b/health-monitors/gpu-health-monitor/Makefile
index b55927910..821243928 100644
--- a/health-monitors/gpu-health-monitor/Makefile
+++ b/health-monitors/gpu-health-monitor/Makefile
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ LINT_EXTRA_FLAGS :=
 
 include ../../common.mk
 
+# Cache configuration for specialized builds (respect DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)
+CACHE_FROM_ARG_DCGM3 := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-3)
+CACHE_TO_ARG_DCGM3 := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-3,mode=max)
+CACHE_FROM_ARG_DCGM4 := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-4)
+CACHE_TO_ARG_DCGM4 := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-4,mode=max)
+
 # =============================================================================
 # DEFAULT TARGET
 # =============================================================================
@@ -104,11 +110,12 @@ docker-build: setup-buildx docker-build-dcgm3 docker-build-dcgm4
 
 docker-build-dcgm3: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building Docker image for $(MODULE_NAME) with DCGM 3.x (local development)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	cd $(REPO_ROOT) && docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-3 \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-3,mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG_DCGM3) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG_DCGM3) \
 		$(DOCKER_EXTRA_ARGS) \
 		--load \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-$(MODULE_NAME):$(SAFE_REF_NAME)-dcgm-3.x \
@@ -119,11 +126,12 @@ docker-build-dcgm3: setup-buildx
 
 docker-build-dcgm4: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building Docker image for $(MODULE_NAME) with DCGM 4.x (local development)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	cd $(REPO_ROOT) && docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-4 \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-4,mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG_DCGM4) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG_DCGM4) \
 		$(DOCKER_EXTRA_ARGS) \
 		--load \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-$(MODULE_NAME):$(SAFE_REF_NAME)-dcgm-4.x \
@@ -135,11 +143,12 @@ docker-publish: setup-buildx docker-publish-dcgm3 docker-publish-dcgm4
 
 docker-publish-dcgm3: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building and publishing Docker image for $(MODULE_NAME) with DCGM 3.x (production)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	cd $(REPO_ROOT) && docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-3 \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-3,mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG_DCGM3) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG_DCGM3) \
 		$(DOCKER_EXTRA_ARGS) \
 		--push \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-$(MODULE_NAME):$(SAFE_REF_NAME)-dcgm-3.x \
@@ -150,11 +159,12 @@ docker-publish-dcgm3: setup-buildx
 
 docker-publish-dcgm4: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building and publishing Docker image for $(MODULE_NAME) with DCGM 4.x (production)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	cd $(REPO_ROOT) && docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-4 \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME)-4,mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG_DCGM4) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG_DCGM4) \
 		$(DOCKER_EXTRA_ARGS) \
 		--push \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-$(MODULE_NAME):$(SAFE_REF_NAME)-dcgm-4.x \
diff --git a/node-drainer-module/Makefile b/node-drainer-module/Makefile
index ffa959ced..f473b2ed9 100644
--- a/node-drainer-module/Makefile
+++ b/node-drainer-module/Makefile
@@ -49,11 +49,12 @@ publish: docker-publish
 # Additional target for CI with registry cache
 docker-build-with-cache: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building Docker image for $(MODULE_NAME) (with registry cache)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	cd $(REPO_ROOT) && docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME) \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:$(MODULE_NAME),mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG) \
 		$(DOCKER_EXTRA_ARGS) \
 		--load \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-$(MODULE_NAME):$(SAFE_REF_NAME) \
diff --git a/nvsentinel-log-collector/Makefile b/nvsentinel-log-collector/Makefile
index 65afe6276..be77c07ee 100644
--- a/nvsentinel-log-collector/Makefile
+++ b/nvsentinel-log-collector/Makefile
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ SAFE_REF_NAME := $(if $(SAFE_REF_NAME),$(SAFE_REF_NAME),local)
 BUILDX_BUILDER ?= nvsentinel-builder
 PLATFORMS ?= linux/arm64,linux/amd64
 
+# Cache configuration (can be disabled via environment variables)
+DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE ?= false
+CACHE_FROM_ARG_LOG := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:log-collector)
+CACHE_TO_ARG_LOG := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:log-collector,mode=max)
+CACHE_FROM_ARG_CLEANUP := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:file-server-cleanup)
+CACHE_TO_ARG_CLEANUP := $(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),,--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:file-server-cleanup,mode=max)
+
 # Default target
 .PHONY: all
 all: lint
@@ -77,11 +84,12 @@ docker-build: setup-buildx docker-build-log-collector docker-build-file-server-c
 .PHONY: docker-build-log-collector
 docker-build-log-collector: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building Docker image for log-collector (local development)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:log-collector \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:log-collector,mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG_LOG) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG_LOG) \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-log-collector:$(SAFE_REF_NAME) \
 		.
 
@@ -89,11 +97,12 @@ docker-build-log-collector: setup-buildx
 .PHONY: docker-build-file-server-cleanup
 docker-build-file-server-cleanup: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building Docker image for file-server-cleanup (local development)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:file-server-cleanup \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:file-server-cleanup,mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG_CLEANUP) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG_CLEANUP) \
 		-f Dockerfile.cleanup \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-file-server-cleanup:$(SAFE_REF_NAME) \
 		.
@@ -106,11 +115,12 @@ docker-publish: setup-buildx docker-publish-log-collector docker-publish-file-se
 .PHONY: docker-publish-log-collector
 docker-publish-log-collector: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building and publishing Docker image for log-collector (production)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:log-collector \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:log-collector,mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG_LOG) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG_LOG) \
 		--push \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-log-collector:$(SAFE_REF_NAME) \
 		.
@@ -119,11 +129,12 @@ docker-publish-log-collector: setup-buildx
 .PHONY: docker-publish-file-server-cleanup
 docker-publish-file-server-cleanup: setup-buildx
 	@echo "Building and publishing Docker image for file-server-cleanup (production)..."
+	$(if $(filter true,$(DISABLE_REGISTRY_CACHE)),@echo "Registry cache disabled for this build")
 	docker buildx build \
 		--platform $(PLATFORMS) \
 		--network=host \
-		--cache-from=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:file-server-cleanup \
-		--cache-to=type=registry,ref=$(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-buildcache:file-server-cleanup,mode=max \
+		$(CACHE_FROM_ARG_CLEANUP) \
+		$(CACHE_TO_ARG_CLEANUP) \
 		--push \
 		-f Dockerfile.cleanup \
 		-t $(NVCR_CONTAINER_REPO)/$(NGC_ORG)/nvsentinel-file-server-cleanup:$(SAFE_REF_NAME) \